VéloSolex

The Vélosolex (a mark produced by the company Velosolex America, LLC) is a Cyclomoteur which was produced of 1946 jusquà today in Europe and then in China.

It could be led, in France, without license and as of 14 years because of its statute of Cyclomoteur. This machine was, for this reason, very popular at the Lycée NS.

Models with engine on the nose gear wheel

The vélosolex is not the first engine machine on the nose gear wheel, nor the first to be had a transmission by roller. However, a great industrialization, allowing a very low price, a correct reliability, a simple maintenance, etc allowed an enormous diffusion these models.

The model emblematic of the mark, familiarly named Solex , which is that comprises the engine on the nose gear wheel, called " the bicycle which runs all seule" , driven by small a Driving posed on the nose gear wheel.
Le small engine with the Two-stroke cycle, with Crankshaft in asymmetrical Overhang, of 49 cm {{exp|3}}, is placed above the nose gear wheel, which it involves directly by a " roller " , small cylinder driven by the engine and rubbing on the tire. Starting is done by pédalage or " with the poussette". This type of design can cause a relatively fast wear of the tire, as well as a not very effective transmission when the tire is wet, even an impossible starting when it has cold and that the roller did not have its mud trace day before not cleaned.

The block located above the wheel contains also the tank of gasoline (initially a mixture, named Solexine ), the whole of the system of transmission and lighting, as well as the Phare, nearer to the candle end than of a true headlight. The unit perhaps surrounded by a Bumper. The Muffler goes down along the nose gear wheel.

The shutdown is done by a Décompresseur. There is no electric Interrupteur such as an ignition key.

Braking is ensured by a Frein shoes before and small a Brake drum the back. The handle of front brake is coupled with the ordering of deceleration of the carburettor.

There is no Gear box.

There are no suspensions.

The transmission can be disconnected, the behind rocked engine, so as to release the wheel completely, which facilitates the use of the Véhicule in mode Bicyclette.

Models

The first Vélosolex was sold in 1946. Since this date, several million specimens was sold in France and abroad, in particular with the Netherlands from which the geography is characterized by a not very broken relief (the engines of Dutch Vélosolex were of brown and nonblack color). Importers and manufacturers under license Vélosolex were present until in fifty-seven country.

the model of 1946 fact 45 cm 3 of 0,4 cv with 2 000 turns/minute;
the model of 1951 sees appearing a central crutch;
the 330 fate in 1953, the cubic capacity passes to 49 cm ³ and the power with 0,5 cv;
660 fate in 1955;
the 1010 leaves in 1957;
the 1400 leaves in 1958;
the 1700 leaves in 1959, with automatic clutch and cooling by turbine;
the 2200 fate in 1961, the power reaches 0,7 cv; This model was manufactured in two versions of engine V1 and V2.
3300 fate in 1964, appearance of the back drum brake;
the 3800 fate in 1966, the color makes its appearance (it existed however already Vélosolex " export" color coffee, which was sold with the Netherlands, but nonavailable in France);
5000 fate in 1971, with small wheels;
the micron leaves in 1968, and has wheels even smaller;
the pliosolex leaves in 1973.
the 4800 fate 2005 homologation HAVE

Fuel

A simple mixture of gasoline and oil for engines 2 times makes the deal, but the engine should each year be decarbonized, operation which takes good half an hour. A fuel out of can named Solexine affirms to avoid this disadvantage. Vélosolex can be besides provided in option with a fixed-can for Solexine on its front fork.

Solexine (which was distributed by BP) was usually sold in yellow and green cans of a capacity of one liter. It is a mixture with 4% of oil to the liter of gasoline.

The moderate consumption of Vélosolex will be put forward in its publicity with this slogan at the end of the years 60 : " 1 Penny (i.e. five centimes of franc) the kilomètre".

Options

The most expensive part and most fragile of Vélosolex is the magnetic Volant which is on its left (and to the engine its cylindrical form gives): a fall on the left breaks Net the casing in simple plastic and the wheel. Also, the near total of the owners of Vélosolex take with him its optional bumper chrome (present on certain photographs).

Praises

Jacques Sternberg, in his book Drifts, clear up , makes a marked praise of Vélosolex by opposing it to the motor bike on all the points:

Its engine, when the pot is not broken by it, is particularly quiet.
Its speed limited to 30-35 km/h makes it possible to enjoy the landscape quietly and to feel the breeze on its skin: no leather behavior isolating from the world.
the fact of being able " aider" the engine while pedalling in the coasts prevents ankyloser.
In the event of breakdown, while the motorcyclist is blocked, the owner of Vélosolex raises his engine quietly and uses its machine like a simple bicycle.

Anecdotes

Appearances with the screen

the television serial Janique Aimée opened invariably on credits where one saw Janique leading his Vélosolex, associating the image of immediately to him Average Frenchman which one intended to give him.
Brigitte Bardot makes her first appearance with the screen, in 1952, on Solex, in " the Norman Hole " of Jean Boyer.
In 1968, in " the gendarme Marie " , Cruchot (Louis de Funès) overlaps Solex to go to join Josepha.
last appearance goes back to it in " holidays of Mr. Bean" (Rowan Atkinson)
In 1975, in the Three Days of the Condor of Sidney Pollack, Joseph Turner (Robert Redford) uses one 3800 from its office of New York.

Distributer of Solexine

There existed (at least until 2002) a automatic distributer of Solexine on the Boulevard Saint-Michel with Paris. As its Monnayeur functioned only with parts of 5 F, the owner of the places had kept a small stock which it used as tokens (the newspaper Le Monde devoted an article to him).

the distributer of Solexine was also current in certain service station of province. In fact, it was about a hand pump which ensured the gasoline-oil mixture. The distributers of mixture were current in the service station and the majority of the models made it possible to proportion the quantity of oil to be incorporated in the gasoline.

Other models

Flash, then 6000, model with transmission shafting without Cardan joint, leaves in 1970;
Tenor, to true motorization of auto-cycle (Free Morini, then Anker Laura), with a back suspension and a gear box, leaves in 1973.
the E-Solex, model electric resembling the original, but in fact motorized by the back, appeared at the end of 2006.

External bonds

Velosolex (mark to deposit) To manufacture in France
the site of the collectors of Solex with councils of restoration
a directory for which seek information on Solex
Magasin of VéloSoleX spare parts, technical site and complete history
solexin: the site of Vélosolex, with the future models planned
Paris-Baghdad
solex365
Evolutions of Solex with the passing of years
Directory of bonds SOLEX
To buy new VeloSolex today
the site of the Solex competition in France

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